ROME. To encourage the adoption of new fiber optic technologies and accelerate the country’s digitalisation process, starting tomorrow TIM will start the process of decommissioning the first 62 entirely copper power plants.
The switch-off plan for the copper access network thus begins, which involves the progressive shutdown of over 6,700 exchanges, out of the approximately 10,500 existing ones, by 2028.
The 62 power plants covered by this first intervention are located in 54 municipalities distributed across 11 regions: Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Lombardy, Molise, Puglia, Sicily, Tuscany and Veneto. The shutdown involves the transfer of the connections established on these exchanges (ADSL, ISDN and RTG telephone lines) to the new generation TIM network, already available totally or partially in fibre.
“We are embarking on an important phase of transformation of our access network – declares Elisabetta Romano, Chief Network Operations & Wholesale Officer of TIM -. The migration from the access services offered on the copper network to those available on the new generation network marks the start of the switch off process, which will affect over 60% of our exchanges present in the territory, located mainly in peripheral areas or municipalities of small size. In order to decommission such a large number of exchanges, constant commitment to the creation of networks that use optical fiber in whole or in part and to the innovation of obsolete technological platforms becomes essential. We are working to accelerate the process and create the conditions to shut down a significant number of power plants in the next two years.”
The migration of customers towards ultra-broadband connections will allow a significant improvement in performance and quality of service, with significant benefits also in terms of environmental impact. It is estimated, in fact, that the decommissioning of the copper power plants, which will also involve the simultaneous shutdown of all the equipment linked to the traditional services present in the other power plants connected to them, will allow a reduction in energy consumption of approximately 450 thousand MWh and less when fully operational. CO2 emissions for 209,600,000 kg, equivalent to 16,108,000 trees.
The technological adaptation interventions were approved by the Communications Regulatory Authority (AGCom) as part of the broader general plan for the renewal of technologies, which provides for the progressive decommissioning of the copper network exchanges.
Finally, in recent months TIM has sent specific information to all the municipal administrations in whose territories the exchanges affected by the initiative fall, also organizing specific in-depth meetings on the topic.
